Improved table and desk



i or closed within the table.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.`

CYRUS BALDWIN, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO HINSELF AND STEPHEN W. BALDWIN. 4

IMPROVED TABLE DESK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 47,378, dated April 25, 18(25.

To all ahomt may concern:

Be it known that l, CYRUs BALDWIN, of Manchester, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improved Combined rlable and Writing- Desk; and I do hereby declare that the fol lowing,taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

This invention relates to a combination of a table and writing'desk, being an improved escritoire, the improvement consistingin such application of a desk to or within the top of a table thatit may swing from and within the same in a convenient and reliable manner, the construction having an important advantage over a combination of a table and desk in which the desk is or forms part of a common table drawer. i

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a plan of the desk and the compartment of the table containing it, the top of the table being removed. The desk is shown as projecting from the table in position for use, the red lines denoting its position when shut up g Fig. 2 is a crosssection of the upper part of the table, taken on the line .fr showing the desk projected froml the table.

a denotes the compartment or upper part of the table, within which the desk b is contained, as seen by red lines in Fig. l. The desk is hung upon a hinge or joint pin, c, swinging horizontally upon said pin into the two positions within and in front of the table, as will be readily understood. When the desk is `in position for writing, the rear part, d,

thereof remains within thetable top, and

serves to support the front of the desk, this rear part having divisions or compartments for stationery, while the lid e is so hinged that it can be raised to open the desk when in such position. lt will be observed that through this arrangement ot' the desk the front edge of theisame when .the desk is in use is left unobstructed by the piece f, which forms the front or finished side of the table when the i desk is within its compartment a. With a desk made as a drawer this piece always forms the part next to the writer, and interferes with the free and easy `position and movement of the arm and hand in writing when it projects above the edge ot' the writing-surface and renders the position of theI` writer uncomfortable if it projects below the said edge; but by my construction this piece' f is swung around, so as to be entirely out of the way of the writer when the desk `is in use.

A spring-latch, g, may be employed to hold the desk in position. in the table when not in use, and a spring, h, is or may be so applied a-s to start the udesk from the table when the spring-latch is retracted. rEhese details, however, are not essential to the invention.

The combination of the table and writingdesk when arranged to operate substantially i,

as set forth.

1n testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of March, A. D. 1865.

GYRUS BALDWIN.

Witnesses:

J. F. J AMES, C. W. FLING. 

